The present invention relates to large stator bars that are used in power and industrial generators, handling these bars before they are installed in a stator, and fitting header clips to the bars during assembly.
Stator bars are typically large, long and heavy, e.g., 35 feet long and hundreds of pounds (lbs.). The bars are generally straight and extend the length of a stator. When seated in a stator, the straight sections of the stator bars form a cylindrical array around a rotor. The ends of the stator bars extend axially from opposite ends of the stator. The end portion of the stator bars extend from the ends of the stator and are curved to form end turns. The ends of stator bars are connected through copper or stainless steel fittings and water-cooled connections to form continuous hydraulic winding circuits.
To hold the bar vertically there is a need for a cradle that can hold a stator bar as it is positioned into alignment with a braze station and as the stator bar turns from a horizontal position to a vertical position.